Apparatus for aligning and arranging articles in upright position

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for aligning and erecting articles, more particularly hollow articles such as bottles including A FILLING OPENING FOR INTRODUCTION OF ARTICLES TO BE SET UPRIGHT; A PLURALITY OF CONVEYING CHANNELS RISING FROM SAID FILLING OPENING AND EACH WITH AN ARCUATE PORTION IN THE LONGITUDINAL EXTENSIONS THEREOF; CONVEYOR MEANS FOR SAID ARTICLES INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF DRIVERS ENGAGEABLE WITH AND BEHIND THE ARTICLES IN THE REGION OF EACH CONVEYOR CHANNEL; A PLURALITY OF ALIGNING DEVICES PROVIDED IN THE AREA OF TRANSITION BETWEEN THE RISING RECEIVING AREA AND A DESCENDING ALIGNING AREA SAID ALIGNING DEVICES EACH HAVING A CATCH MEMBER WHICH SWINGS ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND IS ENGAGEABLE WITH A NECK PROVIDED ON AN END OF THE ARTICLE FOR TURNING SAID ARTICLE AND WHICH IS SWUNG OUT OF THE AREA OF MOVEMENT OF THE ARTICLE BY THE PRESSURE OF THE ARTICLE WHEN ARRIVING WITH ITS BOTTOM END FIRST; AN ERECTING SURFACE PROVIDED BELOW THE SAID DESCENDING ALIGNING AREA OF THE CONVEYOR CHANNEL; A PUSH MEMBER ASSOCIATED WITH ALL THE CONVEYOR CHANNELS BELOW THE DESCENDING ALIGNING AREA, WHICH PUSH MEMBER ACTS SIMULTANEOUSLY ON ALL THE ARTICLES DEPOSITED IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON SAID ERECTING SURFACE AND PUSHES THE SAID ARTICLES ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT SERVING TO REMOVE THEM; AND DISPLACEABLE GUIDE MEANS IN THE REGION BELOW THE SAID ALIGNING DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH CONVEYOR CHANNEL, AND FORMING WITH THE DESCENDING ALIGNING MEMBER OF SAID CONVEYOR CHANNELS, A DROPPING CHUTE FOR EACH ARTICLE DESCENDING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITH ITS BOTTOM DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY.

United States Patent Kammann [451 Sept. 12, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FORALIGNING AND ARRANGING ARTICLES IN UPRIGHT POSITION [72] Inventor:Wilfried Kammann, Buende- Suedlengern, Germany [73] Assignee: WernerKammann, Buende- Westfalen, Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 104,325

[52] US. Cl. ..198/33 AA, 198/53 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 47/24 [58] Field ofSearch....198l33, 33 AA; 271/171, 172, 271/173, 253

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,367,534 2/1968 Carter..221/172 2,864,532 12/1958 Gabrielser ..221/253 3,425,530 2/1969 Carter..198/33 AA FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,221,570 7/1966 Germany..198/201 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney-Edmund M.Jaskiewicz 5 7] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to an improvedapparatus for aligning and erecting articles, more particularly hollowarticles such as bottles including a filling opening for introduction ofarticles to be set upright;

a plurality of conveying channels rising from said filling opening andeach with an arcuate portion in the longitudinal extensions thereof;

conveyor means for said articles including a plurality of driversengageable with and behind the articles in the region of each conveyorchannel;

a plurality of aligning devices provided in the area of transitionbetween the rising receiving area and a descending aligning area saidaligning devices each having a catch member which swings about ahorizontal axis and is engageable with a neck provided on an end of thearticle for turning said article and which is swung out of the area ofmovement of the article by the pressure of the article when arrivingwith its bottom end first;

an erecting surface provided below the said descending aligning area ofthe conveyor channel;

a push member associated with all the conveyor channels below thedescending aligning area, which push member acts simultaneously on allthe articles deposited in upright position on said erecting surface andpushes the said articles onto a conveyor belt serving to remove them;

and displaceable guide means in the region below the said aligningdevice associated with each conveyor channel, and forming with thedescending aligning member of said conveyor channels, a dropping chutefor each article descending in an upright position with its bottomdirected downwardly.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures i 40 EGIIF- 1i 1 illlll APPARATUS FORALIGNING AND ARRANGING ARTICLES IN UPRIGHT POSITION The presentinvention concerns apparatus for aligning and arranging articles inupright position and particularly hollow articles, such as bottles orthe like containers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simply constructedapparatus by which articles of different shapes and sizes can be alignedin the same direction and erected.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which erectsthe aligned articles in a stable position and steadily conveys them insaid stable position to a removing device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which thearticles, aligned with their longitudinal extension in the direction oftravel, are fed to the apparatus serving to align them and erect themsame way up from a container having articles introduced at random andlocated in any position.

A further object of the invention is to ensure supply of the aligningdevice always with single articles located in the longitudinal direction(pre-aligned with the neck or bottom of the container located forwardlywith respect to and in the direction of movement).

In accordance with the invention, apparatus foraligning and erectingarticles, particularly hollow articles, such as bottles, containers orthe like, includes a filling aperture for the introduction of thearticles to be erected, a plurality of conveying channels rising fromthis filling aperture and being arcuate in the longitudinal direction,conveyor means for said articles including several driving membersengaging thereon in the region of each conveying charmel, and engagingbehind the articles to be moved. A plurality of aligning devices areprovided for each conveyor channel in the area of transition or turningarea between the rising transfer area and descending aligning area, saidaligning devices each having a catching portion which swings about ahorizontal axis and engages a neck provided at one end of the articlefor guiding said article, or engages in an opening in the front of thearticle or is swung out of the path of movement of the article by thepressure of the article arriving with its bottom end first. -An erectingsurface is arranged below said descending aligning area of the conveyorchannel and a push member which is associated with all the conveyorchannels below the descending aligning area and acts simultaneously onall the articles deposited upright onto the erecting surface and pushesthe said articles onto a conveyor belt used to remove said articles. Atleast one retaining wall is provided in the area below the said aligningdevice and forms, with the descending aligning member of said conveyorchannels, a dropping chute for each article in an upright position andwith its bottom extending downwardly. The chute may be a transverselyextending upwardly and downwardly reciprocating plate or flap associatedwith each conveyor chain and displaceable about a vertical axis.

It is preferable to construct the erecting surface of the alignedarticles rigidly and to associate one or two removing conveyor beltstherewith.

In order to ensure erection of the articles in a stable position andremoval without wobbling the conveyor channels are provided withpivotable flaps which are openable and closable by the articles and withwhich flaps the articles are in contact during the movement from theirerecting surface to the conveyor device for removal.

In addition, the expelling member may be formed of a strip havingtrapezoidal recesses associated with each conveyor channel. Theserecesses with the pivotable flaps produce an axial twisting of thearticles of oval cross-section, said articles being turned by theirgreater base surface extension in the direction of removal and thusgiven great stability.

The receiving container is provided with several guide tracks whichextend in the longitudinal direction of theconveyor channels andprealign the randomly introduced articles by producing'an alignment ofthe articles with their longitudinal axes in the longitudinal directionof the conveyor channels.

Furthermore, rejecting tracks and expellers are provided in the vicinityof the conveyor channels which feed only one article at a time to thealigning device in each conveyor channel. a

The apparatus of the present invention for the erection and alignment ofarticles is characterized by a simple design, economical manufacture andsmooth operation. It is a particular advantage that articles ofdifferent shapes and sizes-can be aligned and erected by the apparatus.

The individual articles are received in random manner by the apparatusin any desired manner from a hopper and then automatically brought intoa certain position. The apparatus of the present invention operatesautomatically and gives a high output per hour. The articles are erectedin a stable position and then removed.

The invention will be described further, by way of example withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for aligning and erectingarticles;

FIG. 2 is side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with cover removed andshowing a conveyor channel, aligning device and push mechanism;

FIG. '3 is a front view of several adjacently arranged conveyor channelswith drive members for the articles;

FIG. 4 is a front view of part of the same apparatus having aligned anderected articles which are stabilized in position in the erecting areaby pivotable retaining walls (flaps);

FIG. 5 is a plan view of several conveyor channels provided with theassociated flaps, shown partly in section;

FIG. 6 is a plan view shown partly in section of several conveyorchannels in another embodiment having the associated flaps and a pushmember (slider) provided with recesses;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 6 comprising a receivingcontainer provided with guide paths, rejecting paths and expellersprovided in the area of the conveyor channels, shown partly in section,and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a receiving container including guide paths,the conveyor channels with rejecting paths and expellers.

Apparatus for the alignment and erection of articles 10, 11 and moreespecially hollow bodies, such as bottles, containers or the like,comprises a base 12 in the side portion of which a hopper (receivingchamber or reservoir) 13 is provided as a filling aperture for thearticles 10, 11 to be aligned and erected.

From the container 13 at least one conveyor channel 14 extends to anerecting surface 15 on which the individual articles 11 are moved bydrivers 16 arranged in spaced series relationship from the container 13to the erecting surface 15 and are aligned and erected during thismovement.

It is preferable to arrange several conveyor channels 14 adjacently toone another and to associate a series of drivers 16 in spacedrelationship with each conveyor channel 14. The conveyor channels 14 areprovided with a receiving portion 17 extending obliquely and upwardlyout of the container 13 at a certain angle, preferably at an angle of45, and merging into a deflecting or turning area 18. The area 18 isfollowed by an aligning area 19 of the conveyor channels 14 extendingvertically downwardly to the erecting surface 15, so that the individualarticles 10, 11 are moved in channels 14 which are arcuate in thelongitudinal direction.

The individual adjacently arranged conveyor channels 14 are formed asreceiving prisms which have a V- cross-section or are partly circular.Also, in the center longitudinal area each channel 14 has a slot orpassage opening 20 extending over the entire length of the channel andprovided to' enable displacement of the drivers 16.

It is preferable to form the adjacent conveyor channels 14 with a roofshape in one side portion or as section rails or the like which arearcuate in cross section and which leave free the passage opening 20 forthe drivers 16 in the series of contact areas. In this embodiment, twoadjacent conveyor channels 14 each occupy one side area of a commonsection rail (see FIGS. 3, 5 and 6.).

Each of the drivers 16 may be secured to at least one endless conveyorbelt or chain 22 circulating over guide members 21,'such as wheels,rollers or drums and driven intermittently or continuously, as theconveyor means, while the conveying length of the belt or chain 22extends parallel to the conveyor channel 14. Where several adjacentconveyor channels 14 are provided a belt or chain 22 may be provided tocirculate endlessly over the guide rollers 21 in the side areas of theouter channels 14 and the drivers 16 may be provided, corresponding tothe conveyor channels 14 on rods 23 connecting the two lateral belts orchains 22.

In vertical aligning area 19 of the conveyor chain 14, a device 24,which actuable according to the position of the bodies 10, 11 and whicherects the articles 10, 1 1 in the same manner, is associated with eachconveyor channel 14. Each aligning device 24 is mounted to swing aboutan axis 25 extending parallel to the aligning area 19 and can thus bemoved in the direction of the aligning area 19 or moved outwardlythereby (see direction of arrow in FIG. 2).

The individual aligning devices 24 each have a catching member 26provided at aspace from the axis 25 for engaging the bodies 10,-l1fwhichhave a neck 10a, 11a and/or an opening at the end. The catching members26 each engage on extensions 10a, 11a or in an opening and turning thearticles l0, 11 through approximately 180 said catch member 26 engagesthe unaligned articles 10, 11, aligns them and conveys them further tothe vertical aligning area 19 or allows the correctly aligned arrivingarticles to slide into the aligning area 19 without engaging them, sincethe aligned articles), 11 merely press against the catch member 26 whichpivots outwardly about the axis 25 and can thus freely continue to movein the particular conveyor channel 14. The catch member 26 is preferablyhook-shaped so that the said catch member 26 encloses the extension 10a,11a of the bodies or can engage in an opening in the front end of thebody. In addition, the catch member 26 provided with a receivingaperture for the extension 10a, 11a of the article 11, can be engaged bythe extension 10a, 11a of the arriving article 10, 11. The catch member26 may be held, for example in the aligning position (article engagingposition) by spring force.

Below the aligning devices 24 in the conveyor channel area 19 andextending perpendicularly to and spaced from the erecting surface 15there is associated, a guide plate 27 extends into the conveying channel14 and is directed at a certain angle to the conveyor channel 19 to forman insertion surface for the articles 10, l 1 into the channels orchutes.

In addition, the conveyor channels 14 are provided in the aligning area19 with a retaining wall 28, such as a plate or strip, which isvertically displaceably and is displaceably connected to a pushmechanism 29 for releasing the bodies l0, 11 located in the channels orchutes at a right angle to their axes of erection.

The retaining plate 28 extends over the entire width of the adjacentlyarranged conveyor channels 14 and is displaceably mounted in a verticalplane on one or more vertical guides 30. The movement of the retainingplate 28 is adjustable in accordance with the height of the particulararticle so that the reciprocating motion of the retaining plate 28 forreleasing the articles 10, 11 is executed outwardly according to theparticular heights of the articles. The retaining plate 28 extends outof the guide plate 27 and closes the individual conveyor channels 14, aspassages, chutes or the like from the outside in the lower position asan extension of the guide plate 27.

The push device 29 is displaceably connected to an eccentric drive 31and has an expelling slider or strip 33, 34 connected thereto by meansof push rod 32; said strip extending above the erecting surface 15 andparallel thereto.

The eccentric drive 31 is displaceably connected to the retainingplate28 by way of at least one cable or chain member or members 35, thereciprocating motion of the retaining plate 28 being effected byshortening or lengthening the cable or chain member 35. The member 35are secured at one end to the retaining plate 28 or the guide 30 and atthe other end to a fixed point 36 and run over guide pulleys 37 and alength adjusting roller 38 of the push rod 32 of the eccentric drive 31.

The displacement of the aligned articles 10, 11 on the erection surfaceis effected by two adjacent endless conveyor belts or chains 39, 40which circulate at right angles to the channels 14 and which have anupper conveyor length which lies in a horizontal plane with the erectingsurface 15. The two conveyor belts 39 40 have different speeds ofrotation, the conveyor belt 39 adjacent to the erecting surface runningmore slowly than the outer conveyor belt 40, so that the articles 10, 11are pushed by the push mechanism 29 gradually and not suddenly intomotion from a rest position.

The conveyor belts 39, 40 may be provided with perforations which enablea vacuum to act upon the base surfaces of the articles 10, 11 tostabilize them by a suction device.

Since the articles 10, 11 aligned in the region of the conveyor channelsand sliding downwardly preferably drop onto expelling strip 33. Strip 33is preferably made of a damping material, such as felt or the like.

With a return stroke of the expelling strip 33, the articles 10, 11 canslide from the strip 33 onto the erect ing surface 15 or the more slowlycirculating conveyor belt 40, while they are retained in their uprightposition by the retaining plate 28. During the subsequent advancingstroke of the expelling a strip 33, the articles 10, 11 are pushedthereby onto the more rapidly circulating conveyor belt 40.

In addition to the retaining plate 28 which is adjustable in height, orinstead of the retaining plate 28, a flapor door-shaped retaining wall42 is preferably associated with each channel 14 in its verticallydescending alignment area 19 and is pivotable about a vertical axis 41.Each flap or door 42 is mounted to be easily movable on a supportingmember 43, and secured to the conveyor channels 16, by means of a hingeor the like forming the vertical pivotal axis 31. When the alignedarticles 10, 11 and standing on the surface 15 are expelled, they pressagainst the flaps 42 and open them so that the articles 10, 11 areslipped onto the moving removing belt 40 while in contact with the flaps42 and thus with the stabilizing of the upright position. The openedflaps projecting into the area of the removing belt 40 above saidbelt 40are closed again by the articles 10, 1 1 moving transversely past thechannels 14 by the conveyor belt 40.

The flaps 42 are provided more particularly for articles 10, 11 having asmall cross section or for articles 10, 11 with a small standingsurface, since the articles 10, 11 suddenly changing from a stationarysurface 15 to a moving surface (conveyor belt 40) are stabilized (heldvertically) in their upright position by the flaps 42 and securedagainst falling-over. The flaps 42 may be provided both in the case ofdevices having a fixed erecting surface 15 and a removing belt 40, andalso in the case of devices having two adjacent belts 39, 40 running atdifferent speeds.

In order to align articles 11 not having a circular cross section, suchas oval or rectangular articles 11, with their maximum standing or basesurface in the direction of movement, the conveyor channels 14 have anasymmetrical cross section, the push member 34 is provided withtrapezoidal recesses 44, and the flaps 42 are provided.

The asymmetrical channels 14 have two walls 14a, 14b located at an acuteangle relatively to each other and tapering in cross section towards theopening 20 for the drivers 16. The bisectors of the angle between thewalls subtends an obtuse angle with the removing device, so that theoval articles 11 drop onto the erecting surface 15 already in an axialposition and turned in the direction of travel with their maximum basearea forming an acute angle with the removing direction.

comes into contact with the surfaces 44a 44c, an oval portion and flap42 by the diagonally opposed oval portion so-that the article 11 isaxially twisted during the displacement and, by its loose surface ispushed in the removing direction onto the conveyor belt 40, whereby itsstability is increased (see FIG. 6).

The articles 11 of oval cross section, all drop with approximately thesame cross sectional position onto the erecting surface 15 and receivean axial twisting movement during the displacement onto the removingbelt 40 from the recessed expeller 34 and the flaps 42.

An expeller 45 forming a passage opening with the channel 14 isassociated with each channel 14 in the end portion of the rising member17 of the conveyor channel. Said expeller 45 prevents the conveying oftwo superimposed articles 10, 11 into the deflecting area 18.

The expeller 45 has several arms 47 which are mounted to rotate about anaxis 46 and project into the channel 14 so as to leave a certain passageopen for an article 10, 11. Iftwo superimposed articles 10, 11 move infront of this expeller45, the arms 47, rotating oppositely to thedirection of movement of the articles, return the article 10, 11 in thechannel 14 to the container 13. All the expellers 45 are arranged on acommon axis 46 driven symmetrically with the conveyor means 22, so thatthe number of expellers 45 corresponds to the number of adjacentchannels 14. It is also preferable to provide the area of the risingpart 17 of the channel with expeller tracks 48 which are secured to thehighest edges of the channels 14 at the transition between adjacentchannels 14 (viewed in cross-section) and are formed by baffles, plates,bars or the like.

The expeller tracks 48 each have an upwardly inclined expelling surface48a rising in the direction of movement of the articles and againstwhich an article 10, 11 disposed transversely to the direction ofmovement, strikes and is thereby prevented from forward movement anddrops back into the channel 14 or container 13. In the area between thecontainer 13 and expeller 45, the tracks 48 may be provided over theentire length of the part 17 of the conveyor channel on each channel 14or on individual adjacent channels.

The funnel-like container 13 is provided with guide tracks 49 extendingin the longitudinal direction of the conveyor channels in spacedadjacent relationship and are formed of guide plates, bars, ribs or thelike. The tracks 49 are of different sizes and have upper edges 49bwhich have a different incline and rise from the part of the containerat the side of the channel with different inclines to the part of thecontainer remote from the channels 14. A guide path 49 with a moreintensely inclined edge 49b and consequently a smaller base form, isarranged between two guide paths 49 having edges 49a of the same sizeand inclination. The articles 10, ll dropping into the container 13 arealigned by these guide tracks 49 with respect to their longitudinalextension, in the longitudinal extension of the channel. The articles10, 11 with their longitudinal surfaces randomly disposed, drop due tothe differently inclined guide path edges 49a, 49b, between the guidetracks 49 and then extend by their longitudinal surface in thelongitudinal direction of the channels 14 so that they reach thechannels 14 arranged in their longitudinal direction.

If, however, articles 10, 11 reach a channel 14 transversely, one abovethe other or adjacent to each other, they are pushed by the forwardmovement of the driver 16 onto the inclined expeller surfaces 48a andare thus gradually withdrawn from contact with the drivers 16, whereby,on the one hand, squashing or deforming of the articles is avoided and,on the other hand, the articles are returned to the container 13 by theexpeller 45 over the articles conveyed in the correct position to thechannels 14.

The articles 10, 11 because of the action of guide paths 49, areaccepted by the conveying channels 14 having been pre-aligned duringtransport, with either the bottom or the neck of the articles 10, 11forwardly located in the direction of travel. Articles 10, 11 outsidethe range of the guide paths 49 and transversely arriving at the drivers15, are aligned in their longitudinal position or raised by the expellerpaths 48a and brought to a position suitable for the rejector 45.

An advantageous conveying capacity is provided by the preset apparatus,since the channels 14 convey a larger number of articles i.e., thearticles 10, 11 are conveyed more closely one behind the other andcomparatively large spaces between the articles 10, 1 l to be moved inthe channels 14 are avoided.

The rejecting paths 48 prevent the jamming of articles 10, 11 betweenthe channels 14 and the expellers 45 and superimposition of two or morearticles 10, 1 1 is prevented by the expellers 45 and the rejectingpaths 48 and reliable and smooth conveying is ensured.

The channels 14 and the rejecting paths 48 are supported for example bysupports 52 mounted on an axis .50, saidaxis 50 being secured betweentwo side plates 51 limiting the width of the container and receiving thechannels 14 between them.

The apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to align anderect articles 10, 11, in a simple and reliable manner. The articles 10,11 in the container 13 are engaged by the drivers 16 and are removedfrom the container 13 on the channels 14. If the articles 10, 11 reachthe aligning device 24 for example, with the neck or an opening of thebottle in front, a catch member 26 of the aligning device engaged roundthe neck or in the opening of the article and retains this front end.The article 10, 11 continuing to move by its own weight is turnedthrough approximately 180 by means of the aligning device 24, so thatthe bottom (the plane end) of the article 10, 11 moves downwardly in thedirection of the erecting surface 15. After turning round, the article10, 11 can slip out of the catch member 26 and downwardly through thepassages formed by the channels 14 and guide plate 27 or retaining plate28 and flaps 42, until it is deposited on the erecting surface 15. Inthis position the article l0, 11 stand with its plane end surface on theerecting surface 15 the neck or opening of the bottle projectingupwardly. If an article 10, 11 reaches the aligning device 24 with aplane end located forwardly, the catch member 26 has no point ofengagement with the article 10, 11 and the catch member 26 presses itsplane bottom outwardly about the axis 25, the article 10, 1 1 continuingto slide in the channel 14 since a turn of is not necessary. The alignedarticles 10, 11 located on the erecting surface 15 are then pushed bythe push mechanism 33 for removal onto the conveyor belt or belts 39, 40moving at different speeds. The eccentric drive 31 effects, by way ofthe push rod 32, a change in the length of the cable or chain memberresulting in a rising movement of the retaining plate 28, according tothe height of the article and, also achieves a displacement of theexpelling strip 33 in the direction of the conveyor belts 39, 40 so thatthe articles 10, 11 are moved by the strip 33 from the erecting surface15 onto the conveyor belt 40 or firstly onto the slowly moving andsubsequently onto the more rapidly moving conveyor belt 39, 40. Duringthe return of the strip 33 to the starting position, the retaining plate28 also moves downwardly again into the locking position. The articles10, 11 being removed on the belt 40 are prevented from falling over bylateral guides (bars) 53.

It is within the scope of the present invention to provide thisapparatus with one or more further processing device, such as a fillingdevice, packing means or the like. It is also within the scope of thepresent invention to modify this apparatus with regard to constructionin any desired manner and to adapt it to particular requirements.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for aligning and erecting articles, more particularlyhollow articles such as bottles including a filling opening forintroduction of articles to be set upright;

a plurality of conveying channels rising from said filling opening andeach with an arcuate portion in the longitudinal extensions thereof;

conveyor means for said articles including a plurality of driversengageable with and behind the articles in the region of each conveyerchannel;

a plurality of aligning devices provided in the area of transitionbetween the rising receiving area and a descending aligning area, saidaligning devices each having a catch member which swings about ahorizontal axis and is engageable with a neck provided on an end of thearticle for turning said article and which is swung out of the area ofmovement of the article by the pressure of the article when arrivingwith its bottom end first;

an erecting surface provided below the said descending aligning area ofthe conveyor channel; push member associated with all the conveyorchannels below the descending aligning area, which push member actssimultaneously on all the articles deposited in upright position on saiderecting surface and pushes the said articles through a lateral openingonto a conveyor belt serving to remove them; displaceable guide means inthe region below the said aligning device associated with each conveyorchannel, and forming with the descending aligning member of saidconveyor channels, a dropping chute for each article descending in anupright position with its bottom directed downwardly;

said guide means comprising a vertically displaceable retaining plate;

and means operatively connecting said retaining plate and said pushmember for raising said retaining plate when said push member advancesto expose the lateral opening and lowering said retaining plate whensaid push member retracts to'close the lateral opening.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said push member has anexpelling strip which is connected to an eccentric drive for thedisplacement movement, said eccentric drive is connected by way of acable or chain drive to raise and lower the said retaining plate.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said erecting surface isformed by a rigid base plate located in a horizontal plane and hasassociated therewith two juxtapositioned conveyer belts moving atdifferent speeds, the conveyor belt adjacent to the erecting surfacerunning more slowly than the other removing belt so that the articlesmoved laterally from the erecting surface toward the conveyor belts aregradually accelerated to the speed of the other conveyor belt from whichthe articles are eventually discharged.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each said conveyor channelis tapered in cross section to form a passage opening for said driverssecured to a chain in which a strap or a belt is provided as conveyormeans, and in which each said conveyor channel has a V-shaped orpartially circular cross section.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each conveyor channel has anasymmetrical cross section, two walls extending towards each other withan acute angle, the angle bisectors of these two walls subtends anobtuse angle with the removing arrangement, the push member has anexpelling strip with a trapezoidal recess provided in the region of eachconveyor channel and each recess is provided with a surface extendingparallel to the removing direction, two opposing surfaces extend towardsthe surface with obtuse angles of different size, and the surfacelocated with a greater obtuse angle relatively to said surface isdisposed forwardly in the direction of removal.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor channel carrierparts are mounted at right angles to the direction of movement of theconveyor belt in the region of the erecting surface, readilydisplaceable doors or flaps mounted for pivotal movement about avertical axis by means of hinges on said carrier parts and in theopening position are located over the conveyor belt, said flap beingopened and then closed again by the erected articles during theirmovement of expulsion and with said articles stabilized.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the rising receiving areaof each conveyor channel an expeller, forming with the channel crosssection, a passage opening for an article is mounted to rotate, saidexpeller having a plurality of arms and all the adjacently disposedexpellers being mounted to rotate about a common horizontal axis againstthe direction of motion of the article, said expeller being drivinglyconnected to the said conveyor means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filllng opening is formedby a funnel-like container having guide paths such as guide platesarranged therein, extending adjacently to each other in spacedrelationship in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor channels, andhaving upper edges inclined at different angles, for aligning thearticle by their longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction ofthe conveyor channels.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein rejecting guide plates areprovided between two adjacent conveyor channels in said rising receivingarea which retain articles disposed transversely.

1. Apparatus for aligning and erecting articles, more particularlyhollow articles such as bottles including a filling opening forintroduction of articles to be set upright; a plurality of conveyingchannels rising from said filling opening and each with an arcuateportion in the longitudinal extensions thereof; conveyor means for saidarticles including a plurality of drivers engageable with and behind thearticles in the region of each conveyer channel; a plurality of aligningdevices provided in the area of transition between the rising receivingarea and a descending aligning area, said aligning devices each having acatch member which swings about a horizontal axis and is engageable witha neck provideD on an end of the article for turning said article andwhich is swung out of the area of movement of the article by thepressure of the article when arriving with its bottom end first; anerecting surface provided below the said descending aligning area of theconveyor channel; a push member associated with all the conveyorchannels below the descending aligning area, which push member actssimultaneously on all the articles deposited in upright position on saiderecting surface and pushes the said articles through a lateral openingonto a conveyor belt serving to remove them; displaceable guide means inthe region below the said aligning device associated with each conveyorchannel, and forming with the descending aligning member of saidconveyor channels, a dropping chute for each article descending in anupright position with its bottom directed downwardly; said guide meanscomprising a vertically displaceable retaining plate; and meansoperatively connecting said retaining plate and said push member forraising said retaining plate when said push member advances to exposethe lateral opening and lowering said retaining plate when said pushmember retracts to close the lateral opening.
 2. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said push member has an expelling strip which isconnected to an eccentric drive for the displacement movement, saideccentric drive is connected by way of a cable or chain drive to raiseand lower the said retaining plate.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said erecting surface is formed by a rigid base plate located ina horizontal plane and has associated therewith two juxtapositionedconveyer belts moving at different speeds, the conveyor belt adjacent tothe erecting surface running more slowly than the other removing belt sothat the articles moved laterally from the erecting surface toward theconveyor belts are gradually accelerated to the speed of the otherconveyor belt from which the articles are eventually discharged. 4.Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each said conveyor channel istapered in cross section to form a passage opening for said driverssecured to a chain in which a strap or a belt is provided as conveyormeans, and in which each said conveyor channel has a V-shaped orpartially circular cross section.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein each conveyor channel has an asymmetrical cross section, twowalls extending towards each other with an acute angle, the anglebisectors of these two walls subtends an obtuse angle with the removingarrangement, the push member has an expelling strip with a trapezoidalrecess provided in the region of each conveyor channel and each recessis provided with a surface extending parallel to the removing direction,two opposing surfaces extend towards the surface with obtuse angles ofdifferent size, and the surface located with a greater obtuse anglerelatively to said surface is disposed forwardly in the direction ofremoval.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor channelcarrier parts are mounted at right angles to the direction of movementof the conveyor belt in the region of the erecting surface, readilydisplaceable doors or flaps mounted for pivotal movement about avertical axis by means of hinges on said carrier parts and in theopening position are located over the conveyor belt, said flap beingopened and then closed again by the erected articles during theirmovement of expulsion and with said articles stabilized.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein, in the rising receiving area of eachconveyor channel an expeller, forming with the channel cross section, apassage opening for an article is mounted to rotate, said expellerhaving a plurality of arms and all the adjacently disposed expellersbeing mounted to rotate about a common horizontal axis against thedirection of motion of the article, said expeller being drivinglyconnected to the said conveyor means.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1,wHerein the filling opening is formed by a funnel-like container havingguide paths such as guide plates arranged therein, extending adjacentlyto each other in spaced relationship in the longitudinal direction ofthe conveyor channels, and having upper edges inclined at differentangles, for aligning the article by their longitudinal direction in thelongitudinal direction of the conveyor channels.
 9. Apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein rejecting guide plates are provided between twoadjacent conveyor channels in said rising receiving area which retainarticles disposed transversely.